Similarities Between Laozi And Confucius

The qualities a society requires from its leader or ruler can range from one extreme to another. There are some that believe the behavior and mannerisms of a leader or ruler should be entirely based on the situation in which they find themselves. In a time of war, for example, it might be expected that a leader or ruler should be ironfisted and strong willed. In a time of peace the populace might desire a more lenient and benevolent leader or ruler. However, the writings of Confucius and Laozi run counter to this reactionary idea of how a leader or ruler should govern. Taking into account Confucius’ idea of how a leader or ruler should act virtuously along with Laozi’s idea of restraint and self-discipline, an effective, an effective leader
At face value, this definition seems to fit that of an ostentatious, domineering ruler. The image of a monarch sitting atop an opulent throne while his subjects obediently follow his every order is not an unusual one. However, we should not assume that this is the message that Confucius was trying to convey. In order to discover the actual meaning of this particular analect, we must clarify what virtues an effective leader or ruler should possess. Confucius made an effort to praise the high official Shi Yu, exalting him for being “as straight as an arrow” both under a good and bad government (1342). From this, we can infer that an effective, virtuous leader or ruler that can earn the praise of Confucius is one that is disciplined and possesses strong moral integrity. These are the virtues of an effective leader or
Certainly, a leader or ruler could not be effective if he were to glorify, praise, or otherwise put on a pedestal those that are “crooked”, those that do not follow the same moral code that the leader or ruler sets forth, then that leader or ruler could never hope to expect any better from the rest of his subjects (1335). If a leader or ruler were to make exceptions to his moral code, then the people could never truly understand what they should expect from their government. Confucius himself warned that “without the trust of the people, no government can stand,”